Do fancy anatomical bridles actually make a difference?

Well that is disappointing! Which one did you order that is taking so long?

I’ll get a picture. It’s the side piece that is lower, not the noseband itself. It’s lower on the cheek.

In the lovely picture above of the bay, the noseband starts out (up by the browband) below the bit hanger, then curves above it closer to the bit. Is that how yours fits?

How long??? Ask for your money back. I got boots from the Netherlands and England in less than a week. There is no excuse for that, Covid or not. They should have offered you your money back months ago.

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The entire cavesson strap is below the bit hanger, lower in the cheek. I think the cavesson part that goes around his nose is too big. I’ll do some type of illustration to show how it fits.

Here is the bridle on my horse. It may be the entire bridle is too large. He is between a cob and regular horse size, so a little hard to fit. Same with bits.

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hmmm. Maybe someone with more bridle fit experience can chime in. To me, it looks like the bit is too far down and needs to be shortened up a bit, but that might be personal preference. It looks like the only way to change the cavesson strap placement would be to have a shorter noseband. It’s a nice-looking bridle on a nice-looking head, but I’m not convinced it’s “his” bridle. Unless you just love it!

No, I don’t love it. Bit placement with him is tricky. He is very fussy about contact. Yesterday, I rode in a totally non-anatomical bridle and there was no difference.

Like you said, your bridle looks like it fits properly, other than you are on the last hole of the noseband, so you can’t raise it any higher on his nose. I would guess you need a shorter noseband too, so you have flexibility to adjust.

But I am still lost on your point about the noseband fitting “above the cheekbones” in other photos. I’ve looked at a lot of them and this type bridle fits just as you and I have pictured in our photos.

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Does this photo help explain what I mean by the cavesson being fitted higher on the cheekbone?

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Does it make a difference in the effect of the bridle? As long as the straps lay flat and neat and the bridle fits correctly, is it not OK?

Yes, that helps. I have to admit I hadn’t noticed too many photos with the noseband sitting on the cheekbone like that. I wonder if it is because of the bridles I was looking at? Even regular nosebands don’t cross the cheekbone like that. Weird.

In my attempt to make my horse comfortable, I may get a little too fussy about bridle fit. While looking for the best fit, I referenced the article below about noseband fit. A few years ago, I attended a young horse symposium and one of the instructors advised riders to position the noseband high up, as shown in the article as position #3. (I posted this article earlier in this discussion.) According to the article, that is the least comfortable position for the horse, so I found the clinician’s advice to be strange.

This entire discussion has been really helpful. There is a science to correct bridle fit.

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Honestly, I’m not sure. I have four bridles and, since this horse is so fussy about the bit, I’m not sure which of the four works best or if the bridle design is a factor. I wanted to at least give the anatomical bridle a try.

I usually don’t use a noseband at all – but new trainer prefers one, and my bridle was getting old, so that led me into looking at the least intrusive version. Also, it is hard to find a bridle with a completely removable noseband. it seems they are all integrated into a monocrown.

I have given up arguing my belief that a noseband doesn’t do anything unless it is tight – and most recommendations are not to tighten it very tight – so it just sits there. My horse doesn’t seem to mind, so tight enough that it isn’t flopping, but not so tight that it is uncomfortable.

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Agree, I also don’t uses a tight noseband or flash. It is snug enough to not move, but never tight.

Oh @Jealoushe, guess what my consignment find of the century was today?!


It was $150, which I consider a total steal since brand new it is $500! It is brand new, no wear at all, but it is seeping a ton of glue.

The only drawback is my saddle is black… I do have some dye lying around still… :thinking:

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nyce dapples :slight_smile:

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Is that a Fairfield/Fairfax/Fair-something?

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Oh my gosh I WISH!! No, sadly It’s an Antares.

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